Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life
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Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life (Doubleday, ISBN 0-385-08488-9, hardcover, 1973, 226pp; Bantam, expanded paperback, 1975; Playboy, updated paperback, 1981) is a fictional biography by Philip José Farmer about Doc Savage.
The book is written with the assumption that Doc Savage was a real person. Kenneth Robeson, the author of the Doc Savage novels, is portrayed as writing fictionalized memoirs of the real Savage's life. Farmer examines the psychological make up of Doc and his associates, based on close readings of the 181 novels. In an appendix, "The Fabulous Family Tree of Doc Savage", Farmer links Savage to dozens of other fictional characters as a member of the Wold Newton family.
The tone of the book, while occasionally tongue in cheek, is one of great fondness for the characters, and can be enjoyed by both the Doc Savage fan and the non-enthusiast.